Ubisoft Makes Promises for Better Assassin’s Creed Games, but Will Fans Buy Them?

Ubisoft has apparently acknowledged that things aren’t quite going according to plan when it comes to the Assassin’s Creed franchise. The fan backlash that Assassin’s Creed: Shadows generated was deafening, with negative comments piling up with each passing day. Criticisms towards historical accuracy, cultural appropriation, LGBTQ+ inclusivity for the sake of marketing alone, among other things. The reveal that both protagonists Yasuke and Naoe can be LGBTQ+ was met with negative-to-mixed results at best, which paved the way for even more serious problems for the game.

Assassin’s Creed: Shadows’s controversial approach to Yasuke and the Japanese culture’s representation angered the Japanese audience. Eventually, this forced Japanese NHK Party representative Satoshi Hamada’s comments, which only made matters worse. A month ago, Hamada warned Ubisoft that Assassin’s Creed: Shadows could be brought before the Japanese Diet – Japan’s legislative body – for altering the country’s history, culture and architecture, among other ethical and moral concerns. How exactly will this impact the future of the game is currently unknown. Hamada’s comments turned the issue from a social to a political one, which only damaged the game’s already shaky reputation further.

Ubisoft’s Response? More Time = Better Games

All of the controversies surrounding the upcoming game has forced Ubisoft to react in order to soften the blow. In a bid to please the disappointed fanbase, Assassin’s Creed Shadows lead producer Karl Onnée has provided steps that aim to better meet the quality standards expected for such a huge household name. Onnée has gone on record saying: “Four years, I think, is the right balance to go from conception to production and get the feedback necessary to adapt”.

Hopefully, the additional hours will lead to better character development, interesting plotlines and careful planning. Clearly, Assassin’s Creed: Shadows has missed its mark, and it’s unclear what could save the game at this point. We highly doubt this will end the franchise, but future games will likely benefit from the new “four year plan”. 

What do you think? Is more time for game development the solution to make Assassin’s Creed great again, or does the problem lie elsewhere? Is Assassin’s Creed dying or will it make a glorious comeback? Let us know what you think by commenting or writing us an email!